KSHB 41 reporter Isabella Ledonne reports on stories in Overland Park, Johnson County and topics about government accountability. Share your story idea with Isabella.
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The cold and snow didn't stop people in Kansas City from making their voices heard as people gathered downtown to protest immigration and customs enforcement.
The metro protest was part of a nationwide call to action. Organizers dubbed it a "national shutdown", calling for people across the country to not work, not show up for school, and not shop on Friday.
It's part of the response to the recent killings of two American citizens in Minneapolis, Minnesota, during immigration operations.
Locally, multiple protests were held throughout the day on Friday. Protesters gathered at the World War I Memorial, U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley's office, U.S. Rep. Sam Graves' office, and the Kansas City ICE headquarters.
There were also a number of local businesses closed in solidarity, with others donating a portion of sales to pro-immigration causes and serving as a pit stop before the protests.
"I think at this point, it's just I need to show up for my community," owner of The Fix KC, Kelsey Merrigan, said.
Hundreds of Kansas Citians were out for the protests all day on Friday.
Organizers shared with KSHB 41's Isabella Ledonne that this is a growing movement, not a single day of action.
"We can't sit back and wait on that next moment," Terrence Wise said. "We've got to be a movement that's going to stop it now."
Friday wasn't the first anti-ICE protest in Kansas City, and protesters say it won't be the last.
"People want to do something, so they'll show up when it's 16 degrees outside," Angela Allard said. "This isn't the only thing. They need to be calling their congress[members], they need to be showing up at immigration court and watching what's happening."
Organizational groups like the Missouri Workers Center plan to meet with local elected officials in Kansas City to stop a potential ICE detention center and ICE operations in the metro.
"We know that it can't be a flash in the pan, it's got to be a movement," Wise said. "We need real answers, not just back and forth from both sides of the aisle."
Businesses are also speaking up, either closing down on Friday or offering donations to immigration groups like AIRR KC.
"You want to spend your money where you know your money is going to something that you care about, and not being distributed to businesses like ICE or corporations that are working with them," Tannin Wine Bar employee Lilli Adcock said. "We do what we can to support a cause that we care about."
Several attorneys, like Allard, were among the protesters in the snow. They plan to keep an eye on the courts for change.
"I'm an immigration attorney, so immigration is my life," Allard said. "The government needs to be held accountable for what they've done. Hopefully, the courts will bring back some justice for our community."
Kansas City protesters took their message to the downtown streets, landing in front of Hotel KC.
"Next comes putting pressure not only on this administration, but on local businesses and coming up with concrete solutions, which is legislation," Wise said.
The nationwide protests come as the U.S. Senate passed a bill funding ICE and DHS only for the next two weeks, while lawmakers debate what the future of the agency looks like.
"Anything can be improved on," White House "Border czar" Tom Homan said. "What we've been working on is making this operation safer, more efficient, and by the book."
The U.S. House is expected to vote on the bill on Monday.
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